[Batsy]

The Royal Navy's new submarine, HMS Ambush, has successfully completed her first dive.

Ambush is now due to go on sea trials next year and the dive - known by engineers as a 'trim and inclining experiment' - is seen as an important milestone.

Ambush is one of six new hunter-killer submarines for the Royal Navy - the Astute class. They are the world's most technologically advanced submarines and are the largest and most powerful hunter-killer subs ever operated by the RN.

One other Astute class sub has already been completed - HMS Astute. The other five are to be HMS Agamemnon, HMS Ajax, HMS Audacious and HMS Anson.

Navy tests huge new hunter-killer submarine as it completes its first dive

By Stephanie Darrall
5th October 2011
Daily Mail

The latest state-of-the-art hunter-killer submarine set to join the Royal Navy, HMS Ambush, has successfully completed her first dive.

The estimated £1.2billion boat, the second in the Astute Class of submarine, is due to go on sea trials early next year and the dive - known by engineers as a 'trim and inclining experiment' - is seen as an important milestone.

The dive proves the boat's safety and stability in the water and measures the submarine's performance.


HMS Ambush: The second hunter-killer submarine in the Astute Class, has successfully completed her first dive, an important milestone in readiness for the boat's departure on sea trials early next year

The maiden dive of the submarine, being built by BAE Systems, took place at Barrow-in-Furness docks, Cumbria over two days and involved more than 70 people including BAE Systems' engineers, Ministry of Defence personnel and Royal Navy Ship's Staff.

Commander Peter Green, Commanding Officer of Ambush, stated: 'This is a major milestone for Ambush and shows she is firmly on track to exit Barrow early next year in order to commence her sea trials.


Inside: The weapons room of the £1.2billion boat. The first dive proves the boat's safety and stability in the water and measures the submarine's performance


Feeding the troops: The large kitchen of the submarine is complete with hobs and ovens where a chef will work to provide the crew with meals that are high in vitamin C for long trips away

'Nuclear submarines are some of the most complex machines on earth and therefore to see everything come together in order to dive the boat for the first time is very satisfying.

'It has been a superb team effort between BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, the Ministry of Defence Submarine Project Team and Ambush Ship's Company.'


The toilets on board the sub which will be used by around 130 troops. The sub is one of the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines in the history of the Navy, boasting world-class design, weaponry and versatility

The 'Trim and Inclining Experiment' proves the safety and stability of the submarine and sets the standards of operation for Ambush's performance.

Meticulous measurements are taken at every stage of the dive.

These include 'trim draught' - gauging how far the boat sits underwater to achieve the correct balance, assessment of the boat's centre of gravity and the stability of the boat intact and in the event of damage.

The experiment takes place in a dedicated deep area of the dock at Barrow-in-Furness known as the basin or 'dive hole'.


Success: The dive experiment takes place in a dedicated deep area of the dock at Barrow-in-Furness known as the basin or 'dive hole'.


Awesome: The maiden dive of the submarine, being built by BAE Systems, took place at Barrow-in-Furness docks, Cumbria over two days and involved more than 70 people including BAE Systems' engineers, Ministry of Defence personnel and Royal Navy Ship's Staff

A set sequence of preparations is made, including diving the submarine on its main ballast tanks, fine tuning the submarine using her trim and compensation tanks, 'heeling' or inclining the submarine and surfacing the boat recording draughts.

Prior to Ambush's sea trials in 2012 a final major commissioning activity, known as Power Range Testing, will take place towards the end of this year.
In this test the full propulsion system is put through its paces for the first time.






HMS Astute, the first in class, was formally handed over to the Royal Navy in November 2010.

Five other submarines in the class are under construction or set to be built next year.

The Astute-class are the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines in the history of the Navy, boasting world-class design, weaponry and versatility.

They can travel over 500 miles in a day, allowing them to be deployed anywhere in the world within two weeks. They can fire Tomahawk missiles as well as carrying out intelligence-gathering missions.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1evx1eWRI

[Gunnair]

Hope they have better luck with their UK subs than we did with our UK subs.

[BartSimpson]

Hey, take a look at Canada's new subs for the year 2040!

[PublicAnimalNo9]

BartSimpson wrote:

Hey, take a look at Canada's new subs for the year 2040!

That is exactly the first thing I thought too

[peck420]

Is it wrong that the only thing I thought about was, "if Hobart is good enough for RN subs it's good enough for my kitchen"?

Nifty piece of engineering, but at what point will drones make subs obsolete?

[r_p]

incredibly, they still need to remind the crew to wash their hands!